Case of accused killer in London, Ont. attack put over
The man accused of deliberately driving into a Muslim family in London, Ont., killing four and injuring a fifth, made a brief court appearance Thursday morning.
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, who faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, appeared via video in an orange jumpsuit and mask.
The appearance lasted less than five minutes as the case was put over until Monday.
The court heard Veltman needs to apply for legal aid and when asked about legal representation by Hardy & Associates, Veltman said, "I have only spoken to them."
However, as of early Thursday afternoon, Damon Hardy tells CTV News London he is not the lawyer of record and has not been retained.
Fraser Ball and Gen Moser are the Crown attorneys handling the case.
The courtroom was closed to the public and a publication ban has been put in place on the proceedings.
Relatives have identified the deceased as 46-year-old Salman Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna Salman and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal.
The couple's son, nine-year-old Fayez, was seriously wounded but is expected to recover.
Police have said the attack on Sunday night was a planned and premeditated act that targeted Muslims.
None of the charges have yet been proven in court.
The London Muslim Mosque, which the family belonged to, has called for a national summit on Islamophobia between all levels of government.
Prominent local lawyer speaks
A London lawyer and member of the Muslim community, Faisal Joseph, was at the courthouse to see the proceedings first hand, though he is not involved in the case.
"So I came down here personally but for me it was more emotional. When you see the accused you have to suppress any negative feelings and I was trying to be uplifted by remembering what had occurred at the rally at the Mosque and thousands of people coming together and unifying to stamp out any type of hate anywhere in the city."
Observing the proceedings, Joseph says the suspect, "was small in stature, he didn't appear like he was concerned, he was quite stoic, so that surprised me a little bit. It wasn't what I expected to see."
Veltman was remanded in custody pending his next court appearance.
Joseph says the proceedings could be a lengthy process, and the publication ban is typical in these kinds of cases.
"He’s got to retain counsel. Once that starts the legal process starts. There will be motions there will be preliminary inquiries, there will be judicial pre-trials, there will be meetings with the Crown. If he doesn’t plead guilty, the accused, then in this case it’s going to take probably two to three years to go through the entire system."
Joseph says many tears have been shed in his household in recent days, as his family grapples with what happened.
"You would think nothing good can come out of something so horrific, but if we’re able to stamp out hatred and hate crimes and Islamophobia and any hatred of any group this will be a legacy for those people that paid the ultimate price for going for a walk with their family during COVID."
If you need mental health help in the wake of the London, Ont. vehicle attack, support and resources are available here.
- With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.